There will not be a total abortion ban said day after mass protests by women against a total abortion

A member of Poland’s conservative government said Wednesday that mass protests by women against a total abortion ban have been a lesson in “humility” for the country’s leadership and that “there will not be a total abortion ban.”

The comments appear to indicate that Poland’s conservative leadership will withhold support from the highly unpopular proposal to ban abortions, even in cases of rape, incest or when the mother’s life is at risk.

The right-wing government, led by the Law and Justice party, is also under international pressure not to move forward with the thought, with a debate scheduled after Wednesday in the European Parliament on the situation of girls in Poland.

Poland outlaws abortions, if the mom’s life is in danger or with exceptions made only for rape, incest, fetuses that are badly damaged. In practice, however, some physicians, mentioning moral objections, refuse to perform even legal abortions.

Polish girls seeking abortions generally get them in other neighbouring countries or Germany or order abortion pills online. Also Wednesday, the Senate speaker said the upper house of parliament of Poland wouldn’t begin work on a bill that would further limit Poland’s abortion law. Stanislaw Karczewski said senators would wait to see what the more powerful lower house of parliament will do.

However, he voiced support for a ban on abortions of fetuses with Down Syndrome, something allowed.

“They’re amazing kids, very much loved by their parents, very loving parents, bringing lots of warmth and lots of love into a home. I am a great adversary of killing such kids,” Karczewski said.

An anti-abortion initiative assembled 450,000 signatures in support of the complete abortion prohibition. A parliamentary commission is currently assessing it. Lawmakers voted against considering another initiative for a more liberal abortion law.

The issue has resulted in mass demonstrations by women, the biggest on Monday when thousands of women turned out dressed in black. Many also boycotted work and courses.